Coin collector selective apparatus



Jan. 4, 1949. e. M. WILCOX ETAL 2,45

COIN COLLECTOR SELECTIVE APPAI RATUS Filed Feb. 22, 19

Patented Jan. 4:, 1949 2,458,234 COIN COLLECTQR SELECTIVE Granville M. Wilcogr, Lincoln, and Max L. Grant, Providence, 1.; said Wilcox assignor to said Grant Application February 22, 1944, Serial No. 523,456 4 Claims. (01. 232-42) The present invention relates to coin collectors, and has particular reference to a novel construction for a selective collector.

ihe principal object of the invention is to provide a coin collector which normally deposits collected coins in a main receptacle, but which when the main receptacle becomes inoperative for any reason deposits the collected coins in an auxiliary receiver.

Another object is to provide a coin collector which includes a main receptacle and an auxiliary receiver, the parts being so arranged that when collected coins are deposited in the auxiliary receiver in the event the main receptacle is damaged or otherwise rendered inoperative, further deposit of collected coins in the main receptacle is precluded.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a coin collector which includes a main receptacle and an auxiliary receiver, the main receptacle containing coin registering mechanism and means to permit removal of registered coins, and the auxiliary receiver having a locked box into which deposited coins pass.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more'specifically defined inthe claims appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of the coin deposit parts for the coin collector;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 4, parts being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the lock tab parts; and

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 'l! of Fig. 6.

The present invention particularly relates to coin collectors for street cars, busses and other transportation facilities, but may be used for stationary or fixed coin collectors if desired. One difficulty heretofore found with coin collectors for transportation use, which are ordinarily equipped with coin registering mechanism, is that a jamming or breakdown of the receptacle or the registering mechanism necessitates collection of the coins by hand, as replacements or spare parts are not usually avail able.

The collection of coins by hand not only creates delay, but also requires a subsequent separate accounting by the. conductor or operator. To avoid these features, it isdesirable to provide alternate means for receiving the coins which are deposited in the coin hopper or coin slot, and are directed into an auxiliary receiver when the main receptacle is inoperative for any reason, the coins thus collected being retained in a locked box. The coin collector is then removed when convenient, as. at the end of a run, and is repaired, the auxiliary receiver being emptied at that time.

Referring to the drawings, the novel coin collector 10 has a vertical partition l l to provide a main coin receptacle l2 and an auxiliary coin receiver I3. A coin deposit device M, which is illustratively shown as a hopper assembly, has a coin passageway l5, see Fig. 4 which normally guides the deposited coins into the main recep-v tacle I2, which may be provided with coin registering mechanism of known type. The coins collect in the lower portion 16 of the main re ceptacle and are removed by the operator through a hinged bottom I] or the like, having a finger engageable operating latch 18 of usual construction.

The auxiliary receiver I 3 may, if desired. be a separate part positioned adjacent to for near the main receptacle, and is preferably provided with transparent sides ,I 9 and guide plates 2!] which deposit the coins into a locked box 2|, the parts being arran ed to direct'the deposited coins, into the auxiliar receiver when the ,main receptacle or its coin registering mechanism is out of order.

An illustrative construction for accomplishing the desired purpose is illustrated in FigsA'ahdfi. The hopper .22 has a conical coin drop opening 23 and a communicating offset coin passageway 24, and is rotatively mounted in the hopper housing 25. The lower portion of the hopper and the upper portion of the hopper housing are mounted in an annular channel in the hopper top 25. The contiguous walls of the lower portion of the recess 2B in which a tension coil spring 21 is seated, one end being secured to the hopper housing, as indicated at 28, and the other end being secured to the hopper as indicated at 29. At flat spring 30 is seated in a cut-out portion 3| in the hopper and is secured at one end to the hopper as indicated at 32, the other end extending outwardly and being free and adapted to ride past a block pin or abutment 33 mounted in the hopper housing. The coil spring urges the parts to turn so as to permit the flat spring to ride over the block pin 33; the springs are not accessible to the conductor or operator.

The rotation of the hopper parts is normally restrained, as by a lock tab or look plate 34, which is removably seated in cooperating grooves or cuts 35, 36 in the hopper and hopper housing. When the lock tab or plate is removed the spring 2'! swings the hopper and its ofiset coin passageway to direct deposited coins into the auxiliary receiver, the flat spring 30 over-riding the block pin to securely lock the hopper in its new position until the mechanism is reset by the repairman.

It is thus clear that the passengers drop their coins into the coin hopper, the coins normally passing into the main receptacle and through the registering mechanism, whereupon they may be removed by the conductor or operator. If the main receptacle or the registering mechanism jams or is rendered inoperative in any way the conductor removes the lock tab or plate and the hopper turns to direct deposited coins into the auxiliary receiver, the deposited coins being'visible during their passage to the locked box, from which they are removed when the coin collector is turned in for repair.

Although one constructional embodiment of the invention is described and illustrated, it is obvious that the size, shape and arrangement of the parts andtheir respetcive operation may be changed to suit the requirements for difierent collector designs and uses, within the spirit and the scopeof the invention as defined in the ap pended claims. 1 5

We claim:

1. A coin collector having a main coin receptacle, an auxiliary coin receiver, and a coin deposit portion, said deposit portion comprising a movable coin guide normally in position to guide a deposited coin to the main coin receptacle and movable to a second position to guide the deposited coin to the auxiliary 'coin receiver, means in said deposit portion engaging said coin guide and urging the coin guide to move to its second position,'releasable means normally holding said urging means inoperative, and cooperating means in the deposit portion and the movable coin guide interlocking upon completion of movement of the coin guide to its second position to prevent return movement of the coin guide to its first position. 2. A coin collector having a main coin receptacle, an auxiliary coin receiver, and a coin deposit portion, said deposit portion comprising a rotatable coin guide normally in positionto guide a deposited coin to the main coin receptacle and rotatable to a second position to guide the deposited coin to the auxiliary coin receiver, means in said deposit portion engaging said coin guide and urging the coin guide to rotate to its second position, releasablemeans normally holding said urging means inoperative, and cooperating means in the deposit portion and the rotatable coin guide interlocking upon completion of rotation of the coin guide to its second position to prevent return rotation of the coin guide to its first position. v

3. A coin collector having a main coin receptacle, an auxiliary coin receiver, and a coin deposit portion, said deposit portion having a channel and comprising a movable coin guide mounted in said channel and normally in position to guide a'deposited coin to the main coin receptacle and movable to a second position to guide the deposited coin to the auxiliary coin receiver, means in said deposit portion engaging said coin guide and urging the coin guide to move to its second position, releasable means normally holding said urging means inoperative, and cooperating means in recesses in the walls of the channel and the movable coin guide and interlocking upon completion of movement. of the coin guide to its second position to prevent return movement of the coin guide to its first position.

4. A coin collector having a main coin receptacle, an auxiliary coin receiver, and a coin deposit portion, said deposit portion having a channel and comprising a rotatable coin guide mounted in said channel and normally in position to guide a deposited coin to the main coin receptacle and rotatable to a second position to guide the deposited coin to the auxiliary coin receiver, means in said deposit portion engaging said coin guide and urging the coin guide to rotate to its second position, releasable means normally holding said urging means inoperative, and cooperating means in recesses in the Walls of the channel and the rotatable coin guide and interlocking upon the completion of rotation of the coin guide to its second position to prevent return rotation of the coin guide to its first position.

GRANVILLE M. WILC'OX.

MAX L. GRANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 269,195 Golding Dec. 19, 1882 420,265 Bricker Jan. 28, 1890 475,566 Jardine May 24, 1892 710,430 Corbett Oct. 7, 1902 2,278,436 Friend Apr. 7, 

